Cheekibots

Couple more belly pics

2011-11-27T21:52:00.001+10:30

These are just a couple of the most recent pictures of the belly. Excuse the underwear, I just wanted to make sure I got a bare belly photo.

31 Weeks

32 Weeks

I thought I would take the opportunity to take a shot of my shadow, it doesn't often look like this

I finally learnt to crochet

2011-11-27T21:48:00.000+10:30

A friend started to teach me how to crochet about 12 months ago and I just couldn't get the hang of it. Every few weeks or months I would get the hook and wool out, give it ago and then throw them back into my sewing room in disgust.

But finally I worked it out and was able to make a few things for my girls. I also tried a few booties but got horribly confused so I'll try them when I have a bit more patience.

VBAC - a womans right to birth safely.

2011-11-16T20:33:00.000+10:30

When advised by the Registrar at my first antenatal appointment that I would not be supported in any way, shape or form to attempt a Vaginal Birth After Multiple Caesareans (VBAMC) I was furious, no correct that I was unbelievably completely and utterly livid.

I knew already from private research that the risks involved were not that much greater for a VBAMC than a Vaginal Birth After Caesarean (VBAC) however was unable to provide those statistics at the time and thus the Registrar condescendingly advised me that the risks were much greater than I realised. The dreaded ‘dead baby’ line was used to try to scare me into abandoning all hope of the natural birth I desired and at that stage I gave up speaking to the Registrar as I realised that she would not take me seriously.

Little did this Registrar know what she has now set in motion. I have spent a number of years at university, learning how to research, evaluate and compile information on medical topics and present them in a scientific and methodical format. Immediately upon returning to my computer, set up to look at the most recently published articles (and some not so recent) to collate the latest statistics surrounding VBAMC’s and Elective Repeat Caesarean Deliveries (ERCD).

I found overwhelming evidence that demonstrates that the medical community is concerned with the increasing Caesarean rates and the risks associated with ERCD such as hysterectomy, transfusion, bowl obstructions and risk to further pregnancies. There is also more recent research that shows that the risk of Uterine Rupture (UR), which was thought to triple after the first Caesarean delivery, in fact only increased very slightly compared to the risks mentioned previously for a RCD which increased almost exponentially with each ERCD.

For women who attempt a VBAC - usually the doctors nod and smile and then make the pregnant womans life hell by implementing a range of 'precautions' that make a natural labour virtually impossible. The range of precautions include: putting in a drip, continuous fetal monitoring, timing labour, usually 1cm per hour, and restrictions preventing the woman using showers or baths to ease the labour. Essentially she is hooked up to a number of machines, trapped in the bed on her back and surprise surprise... this cascade of interventions usually lead to an emergency c-section as the woman is unable to labour as her nature intended. They call this a 'trial of labour' or 'trial of scar'. What a horrid label for a horrible experience. (trust me I have experienced it)

I looked up VBAC on the World Health Organisations website and didn't find anything at all about it. After consulting with a number of medically trained people, I found out that the WHO doesn't have guidelines for VBACs as they don't consider them any different to a normal birth.... mmm interesting....
Another point I found out is that there is a restriction of trial of labour to women who are attempting a VBAC only and not VBAMC. This seems to be an outdated and uninformed policy of the Lyell McEwin Health Service, Health SA, and Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetrics and Gynaecologists. The refusal to support women who wish to allow their body the option to deliver their baby naturally, in the absence of extreme circumstances such as placenta previa or a classical vertical incision, is in fact a direct infringement on their right as a woman.

I will update shortly about my next antenatal appointment with the head of the department. I had called the hospital and advised them that if I ever see that registrar again, I was going to make a complaint about her... Yes it was a female doctor telling me that I had no rights when it came to how I chose to birth my baby.

Quilting... with different types of fabrics

2011-11-15T20:45:00.001+10:30

I like a challenge. I like to look at instructions, throw them in the trash and then try it my way.

This usually results in my making many mistakes, unpicking, cutting new fabric as I trashed the old fabric, lots of swearing, putting the project away for a few weeks and then tackling it again when I am less frustrated.

So when I asked a number of my online friends for inspiration, a number of them suggested a bunny rug for my boy who is due in about 8 weeks. Ah ha, I thought, I could do a quilt patchwork kind of thing with pieces of my scrap box.

I hunted around and found about a dozen pieces of fabric in shades of blue. The fabrics I have used include quilters cotton, dot minky, normal minky, corduroy, denim, fleece, fake fur, velour and terry. I cut them into squares either 6cm, 11cm or 21cm square depending on how large the original piece was. I then arranged these in what I thought was a nice pattern:

I then sewed them together with 0.5cm hems with my walking foot. I hoped that even though some of the fabrics were so hugely different in thickness and slipperyness that the walking foot would compensate for this. It did, mostly, and I became much better at keeping them pieces square towards the end of sewing them together:

Then I cut a piece of beautiful blue minky for the backing and proceeded to try to quilt the two pieces together. It seems to have worked but I'm still not sure that I did a 100% perfect job. But perfection is not what I am looking for, just the learning experience.

Now I just need to find some bias binding to go around the edge to finish it off. I am tempted to just overlock it, but I think that this deserves to be finished properly. I'll post the final picture when I have found the perfect binding.

Happily ever after... by myself

2011-11-14T13:02:00.000+10:30

I thought I had been waiting fairly patiently. I mean I was a damsel in distress, a single mum to two children and another on the way. Surely that ticks a fair few boxes for getting rescued. I thought I was a prime candidate for the Knight in Shining Armour.

Well, since I have been waiting I have realised a number of things, the first thing is - he's not coming any time soon. There have been no gallant princes to come to my rescue and weed my garden and mow my lawn. No horses have turned up outside my house bearing an unbelievable good looking guy to help me bring my shopping inside and put it away. I've battled bed time with my 8 year old and 2 year old toddler with no one pouring me a drink afterwards and offering me a foot massage.

Another thing I realised is that I've done all those things, as well as countless other things such as moving furniture, cleaning my shed, changing a light bulb and yes, shock horror, putting my own bins out, without any help. Wow. I'm not helpless. In fact, I don't need anyone to help me.

So why was I waiting for someone to do things for me, to fill a gap that isn't actually there in my life?

I think society makes us single mums doubt our capabilities. We can't manage our finances, we cant keep a job, a clean house and happy children. Single mums are made to think they are lacking something, ie a big tough male, and we need to be looked after.

Bugger that for a joke.

I am intelligent and capable. I have a tidy house (don't mind the smudges on the walls or the crumbs under the dining table) and my children are happy and healthy. I help my family and friends out when they need it and they help me when I need it. They have been here through all the tough times... where the bloody hell has this knight in shining armour been?

So if this fabled knight does turn up, he's not going to find some helpless damsel to comfort and run her life for her. He's going to find a confident young woman who doesn't need any help. In fact I might come to his rescue... If I feel like it.

And another thing....

2011-11-13T08:43:00.000+10:30

I'm pregnant, due early next year. This was a huge surprise as although I desperately wanted more children I didn't have any plans in the near future to have any more.

The father has chosen to not be involved at all so I wont mention him anymore.

As soon as I found out I was pregnant (I was four months along at the time) I started a photo diary of my belly. I never did this with my girls so I thought I was very important to document what will be my last pregnancy with my one and only boy. Yes it is a blue bundle, and he is already a fighter, to hide in my belly for four months with out me knowing.

16 weeks

18 weeks

19 weeks

22 weeks

23 weeks

25 weeks

27 weeks

I'll keep adding photos as I go, I even have a video of the little boy kicking away. There are scan pictures and pictures of my girls interacting so far as well, but I will post them in time.

Some things have changed, first things first...

2011-11-12T09:07:00.001+10:30

I had to stop blogging for a while, things were getting very stressful in my life and I felt that I wasn't ready to share it all. However now that I am accustomed to the changes, I think I am ready, so here goes.

First thing - I left my husband. I wont tell you that he was horrible or hurt me or anything like that. Or say that I did something wrong and had to leave him. We grew apart. It can happen in any relationship and I realised that at the time, I needed a break. The longer the break we were having the happier I realised I was single.

We now get a long better than we have in years and our two girls have become accustomed to two houses and speaking to the other parent on the phone at bed time. It was hard for all of us to begin with but we are making the best of it.

I've found I have more time to spend with my girls, giving them attention I could never have before.

I had the chance to go to Sydney for a girls weekend to meet some beautiful ladies and catch up with my wonderful sister in law.

My house is very different as well, very sparsely furnished but it is allowing me to decorate in ways I have never thought of before. This isn't what I had in mind but it did give me the opportunity to clean up the back yard.

Buy some shoes that I have wanted for ages, just because.

Birthdays have been a bit different, celebrating with just my family, but we still have a great time.

And experiments with cooking. I've never been a big cook, usually pasta is the extent of my skills. However as I am feeding my girls and me now, I have branched out to more complex meals and birthday cupcakes. There have been some successes, but also some spectacular failures.

But I am putting everything down to a learning experience at this time of my life. No mistakes, no regrets, I don't have room for them. Life is new and fun.

You know it is bad for you... but...

2011-05-16T16:15:00.000+09:30

You know when you do something that gives you a very brief buzz, but you know it is bad for you, there will be regret in the long term, but... you just cant help it...

Nutella is my problem...

I love nutella, no correction - I LOVE nutella

I love to eat it in sandwiches, on toast, on biscuits, but really I would rather eat it straight from the jar. And not just a small teaspoon worth, I'm talking huge dessert spoons eaten one after another until I am feeling sick with the sweetness.

Afterwards however, I feel guilty... that was my daughters nutella... I've just eaten a whole jar... she wont get any now... that was a BAD thing I just did.

So why didn't I think of that first? Why oh why was I selfish and thinking only of the nutty, smooth goodness of the nutella and not the consequences of my actions? How can I explain the thinking behind this?

After much soul searching I've come to the conclusion that I can't. I just can't help eating the nutella.

I've tried hiding it or having someone else hide it. But if I know it is in the house, then I search until I find it.

I've tried only having a spoonful and then putting the jar away, but I then go back to the pantry, again and again, and again, for more.

I've tried telling myself not to, writing notes and reminders that it isn't to be eaten, but when I crave the nutella, the notes are quickly ditched into the bin and the nutella is eaten.

The answer - no nutella in the house. I just can't be trusted. I hate that at the moment I am weak and will eat it.

So one of my goals at the moment is to recognise my weaknesses, and to remove the temptation from my life. This includes everything, not just food. Just until I am stronger, and ready to face these challenges.

And challenges is what they are. Challenges are good for us, even though we don't really appreciate them at the time. We can't grow unless we face these challenges, make ourselves think about how we normally do things, and how we can do them better.

So, nutella, you are banned from the house, until I am ready...

Monkey'ing around

2011-03-26T18:29:00.000+10:30

So I tried out the other book I borrowed from the library which is on softies, and made the monkey.

While I was making this my oldest daughter and her friend tried making the sock baby bunny, I made them do nearly all the hand sewing and buttons, they did a great job for 7 year olds.

My youngest daughter loves the monkey, she has been pushing it around in the pram all afternoon

Sock elephant

2011-03-23T16:34:00.000+10:30

I suddenly decided I wanted to try to make a toy out of a sock

Weird I know, but I borrowed a book from the library with 22 different sock animals so I decided to give the elephant a go.

He was very fiddly to make - completely hand sewn, but he is so worth the effort.

Thats all... Just thought I would share.

Just randomly thinking online...

2011-03-18T22:36:00.000+10:30

A fellow blogger just recently lost her husband to suicide... It sucks. She has lost the love of her life and the father of her children and is now trying to work out what to do with her life.

She mentioned on her blog that he chose to leave her, to leave their life by suicide. That got me thinking, that in the depths of his depression he had forgotten the love he felt for his wife and family, and even himself.

Just afterwards I happen to read part of Eckhart Tolle's "The Power of Now" in which he talks about the conscience mind and how it often sabotages one's life. He goes on to talk about how the thinker in each of us, that voice in our head that we listen to all day, can do a lot of damage to our every day lives.

It made me think that for those whose inner voices are nasty, constantly telling them that they are no good, try all sorts of methods to get rid of the voice. They try to cut it out (self harm), drown it out (drinking), suppress it (drugs) and if none of them work they try to kill it (suicide).

Tolle talks about learning to ignore that inner voice and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) teaches you how to change that inner voice. While both methods go through training to change the way your mind works and if you have the dedication to go through with it, it will help you.

I'm lazy - I aint so good at working at it.

However I have changed the way I think about those bad voices. I now realise that you can't cut/drown/suppress/kill that voice with out hurting yourself. But you can be aware of them. How you choose to deal with them is your choice.

When I hear those voices now, I laugh.

Everyone has a Mask

2011-02-19T09:26:00.001+10:30

Everyone has a public Face.

This is the Face that you put on when you go out in public, the one most people see. The chick at the cash register, your hairdresser, your work mates, everyone sees this Face. From this Face people see you as happy, outgoing, sad or dreamy - all sorts of things, but mainly what you want the world to see.

Some people are the Face they show to the world. Some people, like me, hide behind that Face and use it as a Mask. What the outside world sees is nothing like what is going on behind my Mask. People see my Face and think that I am a happy, organised, confident and calm mum, wife, teacher and friend.

I look like I've got my shit together.

The Mask is my protection, I worry that if I took the Mask off, people wouldn't like what they see.

They would see someone who has had a very hard life, is desperately sad and worried constantly that things will go wrong to the point of being unable to move. I am so disorganised in my thoughts, actons and what is going on in my life that I over compensate with diaries and spread sheets. My mask hides my non-existent self esteem and my daily struggle to get out of bed and face the world.

I am a lot of effort.

But my closests friends would say I am worth it. (I hope!) I am loyal, I will listen, I don't judge, I offer support unconditionally. I will be there for my friends in any way I can and I will sacrifice everything to help when someone is in need.

My Mask slips occasionally.

As I meet new friends, and trust them, I start showing, revealing what is behind my Mask. It hurts when people can't accept what I show them, when they turn away from me. What hurts more is when a 'friend' uses that information against me.

I hope one day I wont need my Mask, but at the moment I do. Just understand I reveal what is behind my Mask when I feel safe.

I think that holds true for most people.

The last cupcake

2011-02-15T21:14:00.000+10:30

It is such a hard decision, do I eat the last cupcake, or do I leave it for someone else? I mean, do I really NEED the cookie or am I only eating it because it is there? Do I want that extra food for comfort or the taste of the chocolate, or the extra cm's around my waist? And if someone else really wants it, I would be upsetting them if I ate it.

I don't like making choices.

I mean I really really don't like making choices.

I find it hard to balance between what is right, what is good for me and what is good for everyone else. I become so worried and confused about how my choice would affect my family, my friends, my work, my health (are you getting the picture???) that I become frozen and unable to make a choice.

My anxiety kicks into overdrive, I then worry because it has taken me so long to make a decision, I worry that who ever is with me is wondering what I am doing. I worry that I will make a wrong choice and by this stage I have totally forgotten what it was that I wanted in the first place. I make a snap decision, choosing somthing, anything just so the agony of the choice is over.

Then when I calm down, I realise what I did choose isn't actually what I wanted, and then it is too late to change my mind.

Lately I have started to try to make choices when I am by myself. Time, no distractions and a clear head have meant that I am able to look at what is the right choice, what is best for me and others is much easier. Taking control of my life this way has been so good for me both physically and emotionally.

I have chosen to make something special for my husband and daughters for St Valentines Day

I still don't like making choices, but I seem to making better ones.

Dukan update

2011-01-31T22:26:00.001+10:30

So I have been trying this low carb, low fat, high protein diet for a week and I can say definitely that it is working for me.
I now weigh 73.1 kgs and feel so much better, and my clothes are fitting me a lot better as well. I have found I am not getting sugar cravings anymore and find it very easy now to resist the chocolate in the fridge.
I'm going to keep the changes I have made to my diet. I am sure that once my body gets to the weight it is happy with it will stop dropping. I look forward to running around without the extra 10 kgs.

Handbags!

2011-01-30T10:18:00.001+10:30

I tried a new tutorial to make handbags and I found it surprisingly easy. Here is the result:

It was fun to make and I look forward to making a bunch more.

Doing the Dukan

2011-01-26T16:36:00.001+10:30

During my frantic weekend, I happened to chat with my sister about the new diet that she is trying. I refrained from commenting that she didn't need to diet, her size 10 dress looked fantastic on her, but she has always been thinner than me and worked hard at looking her best. However I did get the details about the diet, as it seemed to be quite different to others I had heard about.

After seeing this picture, knowing I have my gut sucked in, I decided that I REALLY needed to loose weight.

So on Monday, weighing in at 76.4, I started the diet. I had not planned for it but I thought I could make do. The difference with this diet is there is an attack phase of 2-5 days where only protein is eaten. Mondays menu consisted of plain yogurt, ham, eggs and steak. It was very different to my normal diet which has a lot of fruit and veggies.

Yesterday I weighed in at 75.6 and I thought that isn't too bad but it could be my normal weight fluctuations. I found also that I wasn't hungry all the time like I normally am and still had lots of energy. I decided that reading up a bit more about it and educating myself was a good idea. I found a lot of good websites and blogs that give great tips, I just wish I had saved their URLs.

Anyway, when I weighed in this morning at 74.8 I was pleasantly surprised. I am going to give the attack phase one more day, today, and then move to consolidation, which is slowly adding in vegetables. I was even eating out today and managed to eat only chicken wings and sausages at the BBQ but did accidentally drink a glass of juice. I hope that doesn't stuff things up toooo much.

Well, I'll keep updating as I go, and let you know what the result it. Hopefully it will be a continual gradual weight loss. Fingers crossed.

The things we do

2011-01-24T11:45:00.003+10:30

I am writing this from the floor of fred's room. The phone and my head are under her bed and my non-typing hand is holding hers. She is so very tired from a big weekend but as usual is struggling to get to sleep. I hope that in the time I write this she falls asleep.

This weekend has been full with a trip to the beach, a farewell for a beautiful soul, a relaxed BBQ with friends on Saturday. Sunday started with a walk to the local market followed by lunch and swimming at my parents house and topped off with afternoon tea at nana and pa's house. All four of us are happy but exhausted.

Fred was worried about sinking...

I have had to remind myself lately to pull my socks up and stop feeling sorry for myself. Only I can make a difference in my life and only I can change the way I think about things. So no more excuses, it is time to be truthful to myself and follow the dreams I dare to dream.

PS - Fred is STILL not asleep!

I've been busy in my lair

2011-01-17T21:59:00.000+10:30

A friend of mine gave me a great Christmas present - a desk calender that has a new quick crafty idea every 3 days.

So I have started working my way though them. Being the holidays this has been fairly easy, and I have been finishing off a number of other projects.

To begin with was my first attempts at quilting, I made a coffee plunger warmer with some of my favourite fabrics. I found it much easier than I thought it would be, but I will be more careful with my measurements next time.

Following this was a doggy treat carrier. Just a simple bag with a loop at the end to attach to the lead. I forgot to take a photo of it before I gave it to my mum, but I am sure I will make another one.

Next up was a craft basket. I have previously tried bags and hats, so this wasn't too much of a challenge for me. I still struggle to get it completely even, but I am sure with practice I'll get better at it.

Then finally today I made what was meant to be a bitty bug pin cushion, however I used rice as stuffing and made little beany bugs. I did find however that I made them a bit too small, turning them the right way out was a very frustrating process. I also discovered that my cat likes raw rice, as she kept eating it straight off the table.

I have next on my to do list, a pintuck cushion cover and a paint brush roll holder. They will probably be changed slightly once I make them but still, I am learning heaps of new techniques as I make these.

In addition to these, I have also had a chance to finish off some nappies, training pants as well as a top for myself.

Ah, I feel so much better when I do this much sewing.

Christmas craftiness

2010-12-14T09:33:00.000+10:30

This Christmas, for a number of reasons, I have decided to make a lot of the presents we are giving to family. To add another dimension to my insanity I have only 3 days between finishing work for the year and going on holidays to get all of them made.

I have planned thoroughly by buying supplies and pre cutting a lot of the fabric but it is still going to be a very tight timeline.

First up I am making "cookies in a jar" that I found on the web when searching for home made gift ideas. Seriously who doesn't like homemade cookies, particularly when you don't have to fiddle about with all the ingredients?

Secondly I am making personalized Santa sacks for my daughters, niece and nephew. I hope they get filled each year with interesting bits and bobs for the kids. Photos coming as a good friend is embroidering them with the kids names.

However I was able to finish a nappy and top set for my niece's doll. She loves her 'babies', dressing them, putting them to bed, feeding and changing them.

Another gift which was easy to make but also easy to personalise was makeup purses. I have lined them with PUL to give them waterproofing without the bulkiness of plastic.

The thing I will be making this year is a table runner for my parents dining table. It is a lovely large table, with beautiful polish that I worry every time I eat at it that I will scratch. So not only will I be making a present for my mum, I will also feel more confident with my children eating at her table.

Shirring aint that hard...

2010-12-10T18:56:00.000+10:30

Another sewing blog, The Habby Goddess, had post recently on shirring. I had bought on a whim about a year ago some shirring elastic, threaded a bobbin all ready to give it a go. However it has sat in my drawer ever since as I had no idea how to go about it.
However after being inspired by the beautiful items I saw, I decided to give shirring a go. I found it so much easier than I expected and quickly whipped up two hair bows and a head band.

My next project will be to add shirring to an old shirt of my husbands to make it fit me...

Why do teachers teach?

2010-12-09T09:26:00.000+10:30

Sitting on the floor of Mr Edmunds’ Year 4 classroom is one of my happiest, yet geeky, memories. Listening to the mysteries of the solar system, the planets, the moon and the emptiness of space, stirred an interest in science that would take me on my own journey of exploration. Shortly afterwards I saw the movie ‘Space Camp’ in which teenagers, attending a summer space camp at NASA, accidentally end up in space. It was one of my favourite childhood movies and I still have fond memories of watching it for the tenth time, much to my younger brother’s horror (he is now a financial lawyer and did not appreciate the ‘magic’ of this film).

Space travel and exploration, still fascinates me over 20 years later and I avidly read science fiction books at every chance. The Mars Trilogy, by Kim Stanley Robinson, which follows the first 100 settlers of Mars, is a particular favourite. So when offered the opportunity to attend the Victorian Space Science Education Centre’s Asia Pacific water rocket competition I didn’t think, I just said yes, because I would have the opportunity to participate in making rockets – I mean who wouldn’t want to? I was also going to tour the facility and experience a state of the art, hands on, teaching facility for science. If I had a tail, it would now be wagging. This is science nerd heaven.

The conference started with workshops teaching the teachers how to make water rockets. Both using imagination and science rockets of all capabilities were made and mostly successfully launched. Luckily it was a warm day as many of us ended up covered in the water to the amusement of all. These activities helped remind us science is not only about making things practical and completing the assessment tasks, it is also about encouraging the students to use their imagination to improve what may not need improvement on first glance.

The facility has a number of areas in which the students are able to experience what it would be like to work in an orbiting space science station, walk on the surface of mars, be mission controller for the students on mars and work out if they are made of ‘the right stuff’. Tail is wagging nineteen to the dozen about now. As a teacher, it was fantastic to see science and maths, we teach in the classroom, be applied in real life scenarios. Visiting students would be able to understand that maths and science is a vital part of the profession.

I believe another vital role of the VSSEC is to remind teachers why we teach, to not only educate the next generation, but to inspire them to be the next great scientists. We should be opening up their horizons to enable them to dream of going into space, landing on the moon and travelling to Mars. Science and Maths open up career pathways that students can not imagine, we as teachers should use every resource available to enthuse, encourage and help build dreams. We should aim to have our students gazing up at us with wide eyed wonder, dreaming of the future, just as I did in Year 4. Who knows where the next Neil Armstrong, Gene Sayers or Andy Thomas will come from, but it could be that you see them, the next time you walk into your classroom.

Recent projects

2010-12-06T16:10:00.000+10:30

I thought I would try my hand at drafting and making a toddler dress. Fred, my youngest chose the fabric and I made up the dress. Just to add something different I added two thin ribbons to the waist band to tie up at the back. I also used snaps as I hate using the button hole thingy on my sewing machine.

Excuse the photos. Fred was tired and cranky and didn't want to cooperate. She did do a twist for daddy after these photos were taken

I tried my hand at reusable cloth pads. Not sure how they'll go but they were very fiddly to make.

I can do anything

2010-11-28T10:45:00.001+10:30

I learnt a new phrase last weekend "I can" and it has completely changed my life.

I was on space camp, yep you read right, space camp! It was at the Victorian Space Science Education Centre and I was attending their Asia Pacific Water Rocket competition. Students and teachers gathered from around the pacific to learn about water rocketry and the students compete against each other.

I got to see some amazing experiments set up, meet some fantastic teachers and others who are involved in their country's space education programs and even got to put on a 'space suit' and wander around a simulated martian environment.

You may be wondering if I am getting back to the "I can" comment. Well I was complaining, it happens fairly often unfortunately, and the attendee who I was talking with made a comment. "if you always start your sentenses with I can't, you will never achieve anything. Try starting with I can." So since then I have been repeating to myself "I can"

I can be happy
I can succeed
I can stop grinding my teeth (my husband would be delighted with that)
I can achieve
I can be sad for a while
I can do anything

And I am amazed to say it has changed my whole out look on life. My anxiety and depression has always stopped me doing so many things and I lost so many friends due to my fear of going out. But last night my husbands best friend was having his 30th birthday dress up party and there were people there I didn't want to see. Normally I would be saying, I can't go, I can't cope. But I said instead I can go, I can survive, I can be a better person.

We went to the party, we had a great time and I felt a million dollars. We hadn't dressed up in a costume, which normally would have driven my anxiety levels sky high, but I didn't care, cause I can cope.

Inbetween marking and writing exams I have had a chance to sew, but we seem to have lost our camera, which has made it a bit hard to take photos to upload to show everyone. I am currently still arguing with my iphone to work out how to easily upload them, and as soon as the iphone admits defeat I will put the photos up.

wow - long time no post!

2010-10-30T20:10:00.000+10:30

I just checked out my blog to see what my last post was and I realised it was about the night nappies I was going to make. *blush* I finished them about a month ago! So much has happened I'll try to go though everything, but it may take a few posts.

So here are the woolen pocket nappies. I've made two, but only one of them was dry when I took these photos. I forgot *doh* to wash the wool first so there has been a little bit of shrinkage, but it is going into the same cycle as all my nappies so it is coping well with the rough treatment. The next ones I'm going to make will be dyed with natural dyes.

Things have been pretty crazy around here. End of school term, a trip away with students to Sydney, sick kiddies again, sick mum and just trying to keep up with life in general. I found I didn't have time even to sew and that really brought my mood down. But the last few days I have made up for the lack of sewing and have some projects to show off.

First of all, I had picked up some fabric from an opshop knowing that I would make something beautiful out of it. It has sat in my sewing room for months while I think of the perfect project for it. Op-shop fabric remnants are like that. There isn't much fabric, but there is enough for one well thought out project. I think of it similarly to how michaelangelo would look at a lump of rock and then 'see' the final statue and free it.

This time it seemed to work perfectly. I used a free pattern from the internet and used their mesasurements. Followed their directions and I have a lovely light cotton summer peasant skirt. Now I just need to wait for a warm day to get it out and team it with a cute muslin shirt a thick leather belt and a big bead necklace.

Another project I have going is making nappies using the trimsies pattern. I have two small nappies almost complete, and a number of training pants ready to be sewn together. I think I might need to hurry up with these as Fred seems to be talking about the toilet a lot - as much as a 16 month old can - and leading me to it 4-5 times a day. Well as soon as the hot weather is here, she'll be running around with the training pants on and we'll see if she wants to toilet train.

The latest project is one I have been thinking about for a long time, toys. I have always wanted to make toys but haven't seen the right style to make yet, nor the fabric I would use. However, another one of my op-shop finds, a beautiful quilters cotton with farm yard scenes on it, seemed perfect for squishy cubes. So I tried it out tonight, using the cotton on two sides, some heavier red cotton that I had and some dot minkey. Well the dot minky has just a bit too mutch strech in it so the cube is a bit lop sided but I am pretty happy with it overall.

Well, that about wraps up my sewing adventures at the moment. Hopefully next year, which is only 5 school weeks away, I will have some more time to sew, get creative and make more things for myself, my girls and friends.

I'm going to try making a night nappy

2010-09-17T20:57:00.000+09:30

I just received some brilliant wool interlock with a nice amount of stretch in it. So my plan is to try to make a couple of night nappy pockets with wool outer, hidden layer of bamboo/hemp fleece and an inner of microfleece. It will be stuffed with a trifold/prefold.

As soon as it is finished I'll post pics.

The fabric stash so far

2010-09-12T20:52:00.001+09:30

Retro fabric and my own pattern

2010-09-12T19:09:00.001+09:30

I went op shopping for more retro fabric and then used them to try out a pattern for a purse.

This is the result:

I'm going to road test it myself for the next few days and let you know how it goes.

A wallet is easier to make than you think

2010-08-31T22:02:00.001+09:30

I have been wanting to make a wallet for ages but I thought it would be too hard. Well I was totally wrong - it was easy as!

It has a plastic cover and two snaps to keep it shut no matter how much i try to stuff in it. It even fits my iphone easily.

A skirt from op shop fabric

2010-08-31T21:55:00.001+09:30

I picked up some fabric from an op shop that was so outrageous I just had to make a skirt from it. I used a new pattern so there was some issues learning how to sew it but I am pretty happy with it.

A newborn stash for a very pregnant friend

2010-08-15T20:12:00.000+09:30

I've been working on these for a very long time and finally have them finished, just in time for her baby shower this weekend.

Included in the stash are: 15 bamboo/hemp terry prefolds, a small fleece cover, a small AI2 with jungle animals PUL outer and suedecloth inner plus a spare insert, a matching wetbag and 10 large wipes made of noahs arc flanellette and white cotton velour.

I can't wait til I can give it to her. So much love and tears have gone into making these. The snaps on the nappy were also done by the Japanese exchange student we had staying with us!

Now for my next project... training pants for a little boy.

A bag for a little girl

2010-08-11T08:35:00.000+09:30

I had an hour before I was due to leave for a first birthday party when i realised i didn't have a present. So i quickly whipped up this bag for her to put things into and then pull them out again.

I'm pretty happy with the result. Now I just have to try and duplicate my effort as i didn't use a pattern!

A very personal experience of SA's stressed out hospital system

2010-07-16T21:14:00.000+09:30

The first weekend of our holidays started off really well, Fred has a lovely first birthday party with the family but then that night she came down with a horrible cough. Since she didn't sleep at all that night I took her to hospital early Sunday morning. They diagnosed croup, gave her some steroids, and sent her home with a letter and instructions to come back if she deteriorated. Well by 5pm she was getting worse so I packed her bag and headed back in to hospital.

Well, evidently it was a busy night in the emergency department with a number of bashings and car accidents. I started waiting in the childrens area with a couple of other mums with sick children. At 9pm after waiting 3 hours I checked at the desk and they said that she was only just off the top of the list and to keep getting her to try to drink. At 10 pm we were getting tired and were told that Fred was now on the top of the list and they would try to get a Doctor to come down to help clear the back log of children waiting. By this stage we had created our own mums group (with a couple of dads thrown in) and had a creche going of 6 children.

At midnight, after 6 hours waiting, Fred and I finally saw a Doctor. She was lovely, efficient and apologised for the wait. Once we saw the Doctor everything happened very quickly. Fred was given more steroids to help with her breathing and we were warned that she would get worse for another 48 hours and then start improving. So I headed home 30 minutes after first seeing the Doctor, 6.5 hours after I arrived at the hospital, with an incredibly tired baby. I stopped off at a window that kindly dispenses fast food at 1am cause I hadn't had any dinner, who would have thought I would have to wait so long? We crashed into bed when we got home but unfortunately we didn't sleep well due to Freds coughing.

I knew that our hospitals were in a bad shape, it is in the news and people talk about it. I never thought that my 12 month old daughter and I would be left in a waiting room, seen by only one nurse in 6 hours. And to be one of 6 parents in the same position was even worse. With the next federal election looming on the horizon, hopefully the hospitals get some attention this time.

wetbags

2010-07-16T16:46:00.001+09:30

I have had a chance to make a couple of nappies, but they aren't finished yet, but the matching wetbags are:

Finally Finished!

2010-06-29T20:51:00.001+09:30

I finally finished these nappies for Fred. I've tried using a patchwork effect with the black and white one, which was harder than I orginally expected but it has worked. We'll see how they go in the morning when she wakes up.

It's Freds 1st birthday on Thursday, I'll try to remember to take photos and publish them here. She is such a big girl now, I can't believe it was only a year ago that I was 9 months pregnant. The time has really flown by.

I got busy sewing,

2010-06-11T15:36:00.000+09:30

and here is a bit of what I made:

I had so much fun making the breast pads, for giving to friends for gifts and myself

You can never have too many wipes

I got these silk liners done just in time, Fred had a bad batch of nappy rash and it cleared it up nicely.

Pruning is good for the soul

2010-04-24T09:27:00.010+09:30

Roses grow well given the right conditions but sometimes they grow in directions which aren't the best and need pruning to get back into shape. The roses like to be pruned with new growth appearing shortly afterwards and new blooms also appear. So not only does the pruning help keep the roses in shape, it allows the rose to show off its beautiful flowers again.

I think humans need a pruning every now and then as well.

I recently pruned my Facebook friends list, initiated by the realisation there were people that I actually didn't like. So I went through my list and removed people who didn't didn't keep in contact with me or i didn't want to keep in contact with.

I also pruned my wardrobe and took out all the clothes that didn't fit, were the wrong colour or wrong shape. Even though i now have a lot less clothes, when I go to my wardrobe i am reassured that what ever i grab will fit and look good.

I feel so much lighter and happier after pruning parts of my life. I'm even thinking of pruning other areas, one being the junk that we keep around the house.

I always try to hold onto everything whether I need it or want it, but I realised if I did I would not have the room to meet new people or try new things. I now have the chance to express myself in new and interesting ways.

I guess the point I'm trying to make is, you need to prune the dead wood to let new growth appear.

Pram pants and a baby shower gift

2010-04-18T21:18:00.000+09:30

My mother in law has been asking for me to make a pair of pants to put onto Fred so she can keep her legs warm when they go for walks. So I made a guess as the shape required for a pair of pants and used a book's suggestion to make a section for her heel to fit into.

The first try:

You can see on the folded leg a bit of extra fabric for her heel to fit into

I added the ribbed waist band as I hadn't left enough room for her big cloth nappies and the legs are just a little big, but if she is already wearing pants when this is put on, it should be just about right.

I thought I would also include a picture of the small nappy I made for a friends baby shower today. She is 37 weeks pregnant with her first baby, a little boy, and is very ready to meet him. I also included some breast pads for her and some wipes for her husband, so he can clean up messy hands and bots.

Physio for the head

2010-04-18T12:18:00.002+09:30

I got to thinking the other day about the stigmatism surrounding mental illnesses and taking anti depressants. I found an easy way to describe the process to those who don't have much experience with MI's.

If you sprained your ankle, you would rest it and maybe get some physio on it. This would be the equvalent to a traumatic event occuring in your life like a break up or loosing your job. The injury isn't too bad but a few sessions with a councillor or psychologist should get you back to normal.

Then there is the situation where you really hurt yourself and break your leg requiring crutches. This would be when you already feeling down and bad things keep happening in your life. This time you not only get physio (councelling) you use crutches (anti-depressants) until your injury heals.

And then there are major accidents where you loose a limb or become paraplegic. You no longer have proper use of your legs and will require specialst treatment (psychiatrist) and crutches or wheelchair (anti-depressants) that will be needed for the rest of your life. Major events can include loosing loved ones, being a victim of abuse or many other situations.

Just like sore legs all have different causes, so does mental illnesses. The only problem is that mental illnesses, unlike a broken leg, can't be seen or explained very easily. So when people ask me why I'm seeing someone, I just tell them I'm getting phyio for my head to keep me in top mental condition.

From top to bag

2010-04-14T11:37:00.002+09:30

I was finishing a cull of my wardrobe and found on of my favorite tops had a great rip in it. As i loved the pattern i was loath to throw it out so i thought i would try to make it into a bag.
Well 3 hours of sewing, unpicking and swearing at the iron i have a bag that i adore, but have already lost cause lumpy has stolen it from me. It is the perfect size for carrying her pencils and books when we go out.

This is me at my 30th, two years ago and the bag today

- Cat @ cheekibots

Don't just stand there!

2010-04-11T11:57:00.000+09:30

Do something!

Just a bit of a vent and some more pictures as well, but first the vent:

A friend of mine is going through a rough time at the moment and has been behaving very strangely, in fact totally out of character. Some of our friends are saying nasty things about him and condeming his behaviour. Personally, I see this as a cry for help and I am offering help and support.

It has also made me think about when my husband I went through a similar situation a few years ago. We were both struggling with who we were and what we were doing in our lives. As our behaviour changed, instead of offering help and support, many of our friends cut us out of their circles, stopped inviting us out and gossiped behinds our backs.

It was an incredibly hard time for us and thanks to a few dear friends, we made it through that dark time and are now happier in our lives and still very happily married. I found the saying about 'true friends' was very accurate, they will be there for both the good and bad times.

We need to be 'true friends' when we see our friends go though bad patches. We need to ask if they are ok and offer help, not desert them like rats from a sinking ship. It could be the difference between life and death.

Ok, back to happy cat...

I attempted to make a cover using the trimsies pattern, just widened the crotch area a bit to ensure it would cover the nappy underneath it. The friend I made it for has reported that it fits really well and hasn't leaked at all.

I also have decided to use some sari fabric that I have had sitting in my sewing room for 7 years to try to make a skirt for myself. So far it isn't going very well as the fabric is thicker than I first realised. After unpicking some it I am going to see if it can be converted into a dress or wrap around skirt. I'll let you know how I go.

In the meantime, don't just stand there when you see a friend in trouble, do something, anything, and ask if they need help.

Marking & Reports

2010-03-28T11:25:00.000+10:30

As promised I have not got much done of anything due to lots of marking and report writing. Unfortunately everything else has been sidelined until the end of term.

I have been able to get some sewing done, but it is taking about a week to complete each nappy :(

But this is what I have got finished.

I love this fleece, the bright contrasting colours caught my eye in the shop and I had to buy it.

The inner is also fleece but the booster system has cotton velour hiding microfibre and bamboo in the first layer, then two layers of bamboo for the second layer

The covers that I am currently making, I'm even making some 'footy colours' for Fred to wear when she is watching the game with her daddy & sister

Trimsies are being made

2010-02-28T21:46:00.000+10:30

After making a number of nappies with different patterns I have found a pattern that I love and the fit is fantastic on Fred. She has chunky thighs and a little tummy so many brands just don't fit her. But I found Trimsies and they are just so trim and fit so nicely. So I applied to be a seamstress and was successful!
Here are the first photos of the trimsies nappies.

The outers are minky, one pink camo and the other a patchwork of white and pink dot minky

They are lined with cotton velour and the double booster system is made up of 4 layers of thick bamboo fleece.

While I was sewing I thought I would make up some soft and squishy wipes, cotton velour on one side and a soft patterned flannel on the other.

A new pattern

2010-02-16T12:52:00.000+10:30

So I bit the bullet and bought a nappy pattern, and I love it! I tried sewing it last weekend, so in between shopping, lunch, watching 'wizard of oz', dinner, a picnic outside with Lumpy and settling Fred for two hours I finally got it finished.

This is a large for Fred, it fits her quite nicely, with heaps of room, but is really trim.

This is a small made for a friend of mine who just had a little boy. It was so tiny I was worried it would be too small, then when I saw him I remembered how little newborns are.

More Breastpads, both day and night

2010-02-16T12:42:00.000+10:30

I have finally got hold of some lovely lush velour in other colours so more breastpads were made with this wonderful inner fabric. As well as feeling lovely and soft against your skin, it also does help with the absorbtion.

Night pads at the front, stars on the outside so you remember which ones they are

Day pads at the front, pretty floral patterns or princess fairy accessories

Pencil cases!!!!!

2010-01-31T22:17:00.000+10:30

I had some minky stashed in my sewing room that a very nice WAHM gave me and I thought why not use it to make some funky pencil cases for Lumpy, Hubby and myself? So an afternoon of fiddling around with the sewing machine - here are the results:

This is the pencil case for Lumpy. She chose the dot minky fabrics and I sewed the scraps together. The first picture is one side and the second picture is the other side.

As soon as I had finished it, she wisked it away and put all her pencils in it ready for school tomorrow. It is lovely when your work is appreciated like that!

I thought I deserved a funky pencil case for school as well. I need to drag around a whole heap of stationary for each class so why not do it in dot minky and leopard print?

This pencil case is only half constructed for Hubby. He is currently training to be a drama teacher so he wanted a stage with the masks of comedy and tragedy in the middle. I just need to get the masks embroidered in the middle and this one is finished too.

A sleeping bag for hot summer nights... and washing powder

2010-01-24T21:27:00.000+10:30

With the hot nights we have been getting in Adelaide, my littlest girl, Fred, is getting to hot in her growbag so I have attempted to make her an even lighter version. It has a lining of pink baby terry and the outer is a patterned pink, really light cotton. There is a zip down the side, with a snap over the top to stop little fingers opening it, and the shoulder straps have two snap positions to ensure it can be used for a longer period of time. I can't wait to try it on her tomorrow morning when she wakes up.

Homemade Washing Powder
A couple of people have asked me which washing powder I use with my MCN. I am actually making my own which is really easy to do. Just a few 'raw' ingredients from the supermarket and you can have a very economical washing powder. You will need:
1 cup of Borax (from the cleaning section)
1 cup of Washing Soda (from the laundry isle)
1 cup of Bicarb Soda (from the baking section)
and 2 cups of Pure Soap bar grated or flakes (laundry isle again)
Just mix the ingreedients in an airtight container and add one table spoon to each MCN wash or 2 tablespoons to your normal wash. I also add white vinegar to the fabric softener section of my machine as I find it works much better than normal softener.

Sewing for my big girl

2010-01-23T15:16:00.000+10:30

Since I have made so many things for my little girl, I thought I would make some things for my big girl. Lumpy chose the fabric for both of her creations (against my advise for the skirt, I mean who wants to sew with lame?) and they do look fantastic!
The skirt took a number of attempts to get it right and then the first time Lumpy wore it she tore the gold lame! So it was taken apart and resewn and is now much more robust.

The first attempt at the skirt, I didn't gather the lame and the elastic is all the way around the waist. I also didn't taper the top of the skirt.

The second attempt at the skirt. I put more gold and red pannels in and gathered the lame and then over stiched the red panels to give them more strength. The elastic is only at the back and the waist has been tapered and a snap added to ensure a snug fit.

The vest was much easier and only required a few unpickings, which was only required cause I didn't read the instructions carefully... Must remember to do that in future. The dinosaur was bought ages ago and we realised that the colouring matched perfectly.

Bubbling along nicely

2010-01-18T20:09:00.000+10:30

Well my day of sewing went really well and it looks like I am going to get another one soon. Nearly all the stock that I completed that day has sold out so I need to get some more done before I go back to school for the year. I'll be making more Breast pads as these seem to be the most popular, along with blue wipes... why blue I have no idea, I think I need some more blue terry...
Amber teething necklace update:
This seems to be really working. Which to be honest surprised me. I bought it hoping it would work and since Fred started wearing it she hardly ever dribbles and doesn't need any panadol or teething gels. She also doesn't chew on her fingers or toys anywhere near as much either. A few nights ago we took the necklace off for a particulaly messy dinner and forgot to put it back on. Within half an hour she was all dribbly so we wiped her off and put it back on - no more dribbles. So I am convinced now about the therapeutic benefits of the amber... now to work out if I get one for me and Lumpy?

Amber necklaces...

2010-01-11T20:49:00.002+10:30

Amber necklace
Originally uploaded by Cheekibots

Well I have seen in a number of forums the mums with photos and comments about how good amber teething necklaces are. So I thought instead of going through enough panadol & bonjela to warrant me buying stocks in their companies I would give one a go. So I purchased a honey 34cm long necklace from Selkie Designs and recived my necklace in record time. Thanks Heidi!
Since putting it on at about 11am this morning we have noticed that Fred is not dribbling anywhere near as much as before. Also she has not needed panadol today at all (she has tonsilitis as well) and bonjela was only used sparingly on her dummy as she likes the taste.
Fred is down for the night, so now we wait to see how she goes overnight. Hopefully she'll sleep soundly so I can get a good sleep too - only one week til I am back at work!

A Day of Sewing

2010-01-11T10:10:00.000+10:30

And I am a much happier mum. Lumpy was looked after by her nana and Fred was with my husband so I was left to my own devices for the whole day in my lair. The only time I came out was to feed Fred and then I quickly returned to continue with my creations.
I didn't so much as create but finish products that were already in the pipeline. Things that have been looking at me from my 'to do' pile and getting cranky with the other things I was putting on top of them. So... Here are a few pics of the things that have been finished.

Another swim nappy - these rock!

My super squishy pale green wipes

The fleece nappy covers

And my current ultimate favourite - day breast pads with velour inner. I wore a pair and they were soooo comfortable and light. These are going to be made again and again!

A comfy seat

2010-01-06T12:08:00.001+10:30

On the making front I was inspired by another mums efforts at making a pram liner for her little one so I tried it too. However I made a new cover for Lumpys car seat and the result is:

I used minky and it is so lush I want to sit on it.
Hopefully I will have more time soon to make more things, I have a whole bunch of breast pads, liners, fleecey fingers ready to be sewn. I only have a few more weeks until school goes back and I'm not sure how much I'll get done then... Oh well, I'll just have to have more babies and go on maternity leave again - or not!

On holidays with crazy weather...

2009-12-17T13:36:00.000+10:30

So there is no sewing for me - and let me tell you that is surprisingly upsetting. I have found over the last 6 months that I get so much relaxation from sewing so 2.5 weeks with no machine will be interesting.
I'm camping with the extended family and the weather has not been cooperating. Yesterday was 40 with strong northerlies and today it is 18 with rain and southerlies! We have been finding ways to keep cool and warm and my little one had the best idea:

At the moment I am holed up in my tent, hoping it doesn't leak and wet my computer. Hopefully it will fine up by the end of the week so we can enjoy the playground and beach.
When I get back to my lair I plan on making and testing my own design for a nappy and cover. This will hopefully fit better on bubbas with bellies like mine and also be trim. My hubby has been busy designing the outside of the covers and nappies and so many of them are boy designs I'm going to have to get more 'boy' colours. They are uber cute and I can't wait til they are made.
But signing off from my holiday. I may be back to wish everyone one a merry christmas but if I don't get back...

Merry Christmas and have a safe and happy new years

A sparkly skirt and fleecy fingers

2009-12-11T23:30:00.004+10:30

Just a little christmas gift for a little girl who shines... I'll be making little fleecy fingers for her little sister and a number of other little bubbas tomorrow. Hopefully they will be finished before our christmas get together on Saturday. Then the family and I am off camping until after christmas!

The fleecy fingers for the little ones. Two layers of fleece sewn together with the ends cut so little fingers have something to play with.

My youngest (5 months old) had a play with the first model and found it to be a brilliant pillow.

Some pretty skirts for some pretty girls

2009-12-07T19:41:00.001+10:30

These have been made some little girls for christmas. Both are one of a kind and a lot of love has gone into the making of them. As this is the first time I have made skirts like these there was a lot of sewing, unpicking, sewing again, cutting, putting it down rather than throwing it out the window. Expert advise was called in at this stage - I took them to my mother in laws - who was able to let me know where I was going wrong. These are the final product and I must say I am pretty happy with them. Now just to find out if they fit!

Reusable Breast Pads for a friend in need

2009-12-07T19:27:00.000+10:30

A friend is expecting her baby soon and needed some breast pads, so I have made her 3 day breast pads and 2 night pads. Stars for the night ones at the top and flowers for the day ones on the bottom row. The day ones have only one layer of bamboo fleece to reduce the bulkyness during the day.

Raw Silk Liners

2009-12-07T18:49:00.003+10:30

Silk liners are made from raw silk which has some great properties that assist in healing little bots.
Size approx 10cm x 30cm

Cloth Wipes

2009-12-07T18:40:00.005+10:30

These large cloth wipes are made from super squishy natural coloured cotton velour one side and pink or blue baby terry on the other.
Size approx 25cm x 25cm

Reusable Breast Pads - Night

2009-12-07T12:58:00.018+10:30

The night breast pads are a comfy way to ensure you don't have any leakage overnight.
The inner colour can be either pink or yellow microfleec or natural or purple velour.
The outside are starry so you can remember which ones are night.
Size approx 9cm in diameter

Cheekibots are here!

2009-12-04T12:07:00.001+10:30

Since everyone wants to see what I have been making lately I thought I would put everything in one place in a blog, happy reading